KKOA Leadsled Spectacular - Getting The Lead Out

Chopped Mercury coupes and low-riding Chevys may be the first rides that come to mind when you think of classic customs—or kustoms—from the ’50s and early-’60s. Let’s not forget, though, that pickups also played an important role in the fabled custom era. Most of the popular custom shops had parts-chaser trucks that inevitably went under the torch. And several of the most famous customs of the day—including the Rod & Custom Dream Truck and the George Barris-built Kopper Kart—were based on radically restyled commercial vehicles.

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It should really come as no surprise, then, that a good number of modified haulers showed up last summer for one of the biggest custom car events in the country: the Kustom Kemps of America Leadsled Spectacular. Held July 28-31 in Salina, Kansas, (about as close to the geographical center of the US as you can get), the 2011 Leadsled Spectacular brought together more than 1,600 custom vehicles of all styles and shapes, with an emphasis on the era when flipper caps, fender skirts, and lakes pipes ruled the road.

Now in its 31st year, the Spectacular remains one of the most laid-back “big” shows in the country. Participants can cruise the lanes of Salina’s Oakdale Park and claim a parking spot under any number of shade trees. There’s plenty of retro-flavored entertainment, from do-wop bands to pinup contests. And you can even put power to the pavement at an old-fashioned, heads-up drag race on Friday night at a local airstrip. For most participants, though, the real fun comes from hanging out with friends and fellow enthusiasts who share a love for chopped tops, whitewall tires, dual pipes, and candy paint. Does this sound like the sort of tail-dragging gathering you might enjoy? Cruise on over to www.kustomkempsofamerica.com for details on the 2012 show.